A delegation of 20 young professionals, including 15 members of this year’s Robert B. Sturm Leadership Fellows Program, joined with others from the Mountain States Region of the Anti-Defamation League to lobby on Capitol Hill and hear from nationally recognized leaders and speakers at ADL’s National Leadership Summit in Washington, DC from May 3-5.  The delegation met with Colorado Senator Cory Gardner and with representatives of Senator Michael Bennet’s office, learned about ADL’s work with a wide variety of coalition partners, and participated in plenaries and breakout sessions highlighting ADL’s leadership in fighting anti-Semitism and bigotry throughout the world. The Summit included a farewell dinner to outgoing National Director Abe Foxman, and featured talks from leaders in government, policy, sports, education and more.

 

 

 

Here is a small sampling of talks given by two of the inspirational conference speakers:

Lorella Praelli, Hilary Clinton’s Latino Outreach Director, on how ADL’s anti-bullying training changed her life: http://bcove.me/7ppk5m8m

Sen. Cory Booker – Abraham H. Foxman Tribute- http://bcove.me/o6lytgqz

 

ADL’s Robert B. Sturm Mountain States Leadership Fellows Program was created to involve people between the ages of 27 and 45 who are committed to ADL’s mission “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” The Sturm Fellows Program, which runs from October-June, exposes participants to educational programming about the substantive issues of ADL’s agenda and gives them the opportunity to become ADL leaders in the community. A highlight of the Program is attendance at the ADL National Leadership Summit in Washington, DC. Applications are due by August 1, 2015; applicants will be notified of acceptance decisions at the beginning of September.  Through this competitive application process, ADL recruits and invests in a diverse group of young people that are committed to civil rights, religious freedom, and anti-bias education.

Though ADL accepts nominations from community members for potential Sturm Fellows, applicants need not be formally nominated to apply.

Upon acceptance, Sturm Fellows are required to sign an Acknowledgment of Expectations, reflecting their commitment to attending:

• A half-day retreat
• Monthly meetings highlighting an ADL issue and/or program area. Sturm Fellows are advised of all meeting dates if accepted into the program and are expected to miss no more than two meetings. Missing more than two meetings may impact a participant’s eligibility to attend the National Leadership Summit.
• The National Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., which will take place from May 15-17, 2016 (participants pay their own travel costs and a registration fee, which is partially subsidized by ADL)

Sturm Fellows will also have the opportunity to attend:

• All ADL Board of Directors meetings (two at no cost)
• ADL’s Governor’s Holocaust Remembrance Program
• Meetings of ADL’s standing committees
• ADL Civil Rights Awards Reception
• ADL National Commissioners meeting young professionals track
• ADL Gala

While there is no charge for the Robert B. Sturm Mountain States Leadership Fellows Program, all Sturm Fellows are asked to participate in ADL’s annual campaign by making a recommended minimum contribution of $250 per participant.   Please contact Sue Parker Gerson at sparkergerson@adl.org or at 303-830-7177  with any questions or to submit a nomination. Get the application here: Sturm Fellows application.2015-16